


Take A Breather

by starspawnedwarlock



Category: OneShot (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Pancakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-19
Updated: 2019-09-19
Packaged: 2020-10-21 11:53:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20693087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starspawnedwarlock/pseuds/starspawnedwarlock
Summary: Plight, the hardest working denizen of the city, is convinced to take a break.





	Take A Breather

Plight sighed as he steadied the stick he was holding, trying not to spill any red phosphor as he refilled the lamp. His vision was slightly blurry, having not slept for so many hours. His breath was steaming up in front of him as well, making it exceptionally hard to see where exactly he was pouring.

Eventually he pulled down the rod, and took a few steps back to see if he had managed. Fortunately, he had. Sighing once more, this time with relief, Plight checked the jars hanging from his belt. They were empty. He would have to go down to his home and retrieve more, if he was to finish filling up the rest for today. 

Turning around to begin back home, Plight yawned, and his vision blurred more intensely. Perhaps he needed another pot of coffee. It would be his third today, which, he was willing to admit, wasn't the healthiest thing he could do, but sacrifices had to be made. If he wasn't there to keep the lights running, then who knew what could happen.

Taking a different direction to his current one, Plight ran his hand along the railing to his side. He listened to the clanking of his boots against the metal walkway as he paced forwards, looking out to the rose-illuminated city. The illumination wouldn't last if he didn't continue his work. He would have to make his break short, just like all the others.

He unslung the stick from around his shoulder as he opened the door and moved inside. The Cafe was far warmer than the outside, and he smiled slightly at the reprive from the coldness of the outdoor city.

Walking deeper into the cafe, he found the coffee machine where it always was, a steaming pot of coffee just waiting for him. He fished out some change form his pocket and placed it gently on the counter, muttering out a quick "thank you". He took the pot by the handle and filled a nearby cup to the brim, before picking it up and downing it as quickly as he could. He winced at the burn that he had mostly gotten used to. His mouth was a bit of a mess at this stage.

Having emptied the cup, he poured another, and began to down it again. He ran through his schedule in his head, the places he had to visit, each lamp he had to refill. It was exhausting, but somebody had to do it.

"Uh... Are you okay there?"

Plight stopped refilling the cup and placed the pot down as he turned around, seeing the concerned face of the cafe waiter, standing at the other side of the counter. He glanced to the side for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm good, I'm good. Yeah." He rolled his shoulders slightly and turned back to refilling his cup. He was halfway through downing the second last cup when the waiter spoke again.

"Y'sure? You look kinda beat up?"

Plight lowered the cup.

"Yeah, just... haven't slept in a while I guess. But it's fine."

"You know, if you want you could sit down for a while?"

Plight held the cup in his hand and stared at the waiter.

"I could make you some breakfast maybe?"

The Lamplighter lowered the cup a bit farther as he thought. "I have... a lot of stuff to do..."

"Well that work isn't really going to go anywhere... You might as well take the load off for a while, get some food in you, right?"

Plight opened his mouth to reply, but stopped. He supposed he was right. There might be a complaint or two, but nothing he hadn't dealt with before. And he was excruciatingly tired. Shrugging, he stepped away from the coffee maker, and slumped down on a stool. He brushed aside some of the hair that fell in front of his eyes as the waiter came over, stopping in front of him.

"Anything in particular you'd like?" He asked, wiping his hands on his apron, mostly clean.

Plight didn't really consider the question, his mind still tired, waiting for the coffee to hit him. "Uh, not really. What do you have."

"We got pancakes?" The waiter suggested, tilting his head to the side slightly, not completely confident in his suggestion.

"Pancakes will do, yeah."

The waiter chuckled as he took a step back to start preparing the pancakes. "Quite a popular order today I have to admit." He stopped for a moment, before he remarked "Although I guess anything ordered twice in one day is popular nowadays."

Plight nodded, only half there. He hadn't really taken a break in a while, save for short naps in his bed every time he went to restock. He couldn't remember the last time he had just... sat down. It was a weird experience, and the thoughts in his head were no longer interrupted by constant stress or the humming of elevators under rose lights when he finally stood still.

He rubbed his hands together, warming up the cold digits, calloused from constant work. He took some deep, calming breaths. It was blissful. He couldn't help the slight teasings of a smile that played on his lips as the waiter came back over, a plate of pancakes in his hand. He must have been thinking for a while.

"Uh, thank you." He remembered his manners after a moment, before reaching for the knife and fork in front of him. 

He dug into his food with a little less dignity than he would like to admit. He hadn't tasted food that good in quite some time. He was mostly used to small energy bars and loaves of bread he bought in whatever shop was in his path for the day. The syrup was so perfectly sweet he almost cried. 

The waiter decided to strike up conversation when he was about halfway through his plate, throwing the towel he had been using to clean the counter over his shoulder.

"So you're Plight, right?" He chuckled at his unintentional rhyme. "The guy who works on the light...s?" He frowned at the loss of his attempted continuation.

"Yeah, that's me. I don't think I've heard your name before." Plight answered him.

"Oh, yeah! It's Ling!" The waiter answered cheerfully, smiling. Plight was caught off guard by the warm grin.

"Thank you for the pancakes, Ling, they are..." He furrowed his brow as his tired mind left his vocabulary an empty warehouse. "...very good." 

Ling laughed, leaning back against the counter behind him. "No problem, lamp guy."

He seemed to stare at Plight inquisitively for a few seconds, as he ate a bit more of his pancakes. "When was the last time you got some rest?" Ling asked, finally.

Plight stopped and thought. "About, uh, two days ago." 

"Jeez..." Ling looked sad for him for a moment. "...Well you certainly seem to enjoy the time you take off. And I can already tell its doing you good."

Plight smiled as he chewed, realising how true it was. He felt quite a bit better than before. 

"There it is!" Ling laughed. "Knew I'd get you smiling eventually."

Plight shook his head as his smile grew a small bit wider. "Who knows," He said, after swallowing. "Maybe I do just need a little rest now and again."

"That's the spirit." Ling smiled at him again, sincere and a little bit proud. "Don't get yourself all worked up trying to get your job done. Next time you're feeling a little overwhelmed, take a breather." He picked up the empty plate that Plight had left. "There's plenty of people to spend some quality time with in this city, I'm sure you know that better than me."

Plight nodded. He did know quite a few people who were wordlessly begging for company, although he never had a chance to give any. Or at least he thought.

"Thank you, you're a lifesaver." Plight smiled, reaching into his pocket to pay.

"Hey, no need." Ling assured him, waving his hand. "You've done far more than enough for us to merit a few pancakes."

Plight raised his eyebrows so that they disappeared under his fringe. "Are you sure?"

"Completely."

"Well, in that case I best be going then. I got quite a bit of work to do."

"I'm sure you do." Ling nodded. "Take care, Plight."

"You too, Ling."

**Author's Note:**

> I might make this into a multi-chapter in which Plight just chills with the various people in the city.


End file.
